A very controversial exhibition "Our Boys" was opened in Gdańsk. The exhibition concerns residents of Pomerania who were incorporated into the Nazi army during planet War II. 1 can safely say that the portrayal of Nazi soldiers as "our boys", even if they were Poles by force incorporated into the enemy army, powerfully distorts history.
I happen to come from Silesia and my household has roots in both advanced Silesia and Wielkopolska. Therefore, the problem of joining the German army is simply a small acquainted to me. Before planet War I, my grandpa served as a private in the Kaiser Guard. That's the draft. During the First War, he was besides called into the German army and went to France. He never thought he was German. He raised his children in the spirit of Polishness. It was just the destiny of the people surviving here.
During planet War II, 1 of my relatives died in Katyn. But 2 uncles were called to the Wehrmacht. They were just old adequate to live in Silesia. If the war broke out a fewer years later, they could service peacefully in the Polish Army. And they'd most likely like it. They both survived. Both of them were very reluctant to talk about their war experiences. And no of them were arrogant of this service. Rather, they treated her as the misfortune that happened to them. I know, however, that 1 served as ground service in Luftwaffe and the another (also taken into the army from the works to which he was taken to Germany), in anti-aircraft artillery. Interestingly, the brother of the second fled to England and served in Polish aviation. Fortunately, they didn't meet.
Both of them were most likely specially watched, due to the fact that as Poles from Silesia they were not treated as full-fledged Germans. They didn't get a chance to go to the Allied side. Besides, their families inactive lived under occupation.
This service has not been treated as an honor here. It's more of a God thing. I'm certain no 1 in the household always said "our boys" about them with pride. This service surely doesn't deserve an exhibition at the museum. I think that if they were inactive alive, they'd be outraged, just like we are. After all, after the war they besides raised their children to be good Poles. no of these children went to Germany, applied for citizenship, and I assure you that many for communes did so to guarantee a better life.
And another thing I heard from a friend of mine that was interesting. In his household 1 of the brothers went to the concentration camp, and the another Germans took him into the army. The mother, wanting to get her boy out of the camp, wrote to the authorities that his brother was fighting for the 3rd Reich. For what the German authorities... fired another brother from the army!
I have a fewer words here about Mr. Donald Tusk. The full affair from many years ago with the "grandfather from Wehrmacht", in the context of the Silesian experience, has a different dimension for me, than most likely for the inhabitants of another regions of Poland. I don't blame Tusk for Grandpa in the German army. His household is from Kashub and his grandpa was called up due to the fact that he lived there. It was more controversial to me that he disowned that grandfather. At first, he denied his service in the German army. This grandpa had no choice. Well, I guess to get shot as a deserter. Tusk didn't gotta brag. He shouldn't even be. But he shouldn't deny the facts. Well, his truthfulness leaves a lot to be desired.
